The Rebbe Rayatz: Difference between revisions

==== Sixth Arrest ====

In the summer of 5680, during the morning prayer, the Rebbe Rayatz was serving as the prayer leader during the year of mourning for his father, the Rebbe Rashab. In the middle of the prayer, three policemen entered the synagogue, approached the prayer stand, and ordered the Rebbe Rayatz to remove his tallit and tefillin and come with them. The Rebbe Rayatz responded that he first needed to finish the prayer and study the Mishnayot customarily learned after the prayer, for the elevation of the deceased's soul, and only then would he attend to them.

After completing the final Kaddish following the Mishnah study, he removed his tallit and tefillin and accompanied the policemen who surrounded him - one on his right, one on his left, and the third walking behind him.

When he arrived at the "death courtyard", the Rebbe Rayatz was brought into a large hall. About fifteen people, members of the "Religious Inspection Committee", sat around a wide table, with the two most prominent sitting at the head. In front of each sitting person was a loaded gun. The Rebbe Rayatz was seated at the end of the table, with three guards standing beside him.

==== Leaving Russia ====

After Simchat Torah 5688 (1927), the Rebbe Rayatz left Russia for Latvia, moving Chabad's center from Russia to Latvia.

On Simchat Torah before the departure, many chassidim came to the Rebbe's home in Leningrad to bid farewell. After Simchat Torah, he boarded a train leaving Russia, with thousands of chassidim at the station knowing communication would be limited under Communist rule.

On the 16th of Menachem Av 5689, he concluded his visit and a farewell ceremony was held beginning in Tel Aviv, from where 15 buses departed to accompany the Rebbe Rayatz to the train station in Lod, where about five hundred people from around the country gathered in a special hall provided by the railway management for the Rebbe Rayatz and his escorts. When the train arrived, the Rebbe Rayatz stood on the train steps, turned to the crowd and said:<blockquote>"A person should not depart from his friend except with a matter of halacha, and since time does not permit to speak, I have hereby delivered a long discourse - entitled 'A person should not depart from his friend except with a matter of halacha.'"</blockquote>The Rebbe Rayatz traveled by train from Lod together with a group of Chabad rabbis and elders who accompanied him to the train station in Rehovot, from where he departed by another train to Egypt on his way to visit the United States.

Just one week after his departure, the 1929 riots broke out, which he had foreseen during his visit, as he wrote about it:<blockquote>"Scenes of sorrow my heart told me, and spots of blood I saw hovering in the air of Eretz Yisrael, and to the grief of all Israel and my heart, what happened, happened not upon us, and may Hashem have mercy on His people and His inheritance, and send us the righteous redeemer and gather our dispersed from the four corners of the earth, speedily in our days, Amen." — Letter dated 28th Sivan 5690 (1930)</blockquote>

On Monday, the 27th of Tevet, the Rebbe Rayatz left for a short visit to Washington, and on the 4th of Shevat, a farewell gathering was held for him where the city residents and leaders thanked him for the visit. The next day, on the 5th of Shevat, he returned to New York and stayed at the Newton Hotel on Broadway at the corner of 94th Street in Manhattan.

On Sunday, the 11th of Shevat, the Rebbe traveled by train from New York to Chicago. There too, a festive reception was held for him with about 5,000 city residents from all backgrounds and types. The Rebbe stayed in the city for about two months, including Purim and Pesach.

The Rebbe also stayed in the cities of St. Louis and Milwaukee, and on the 19th of Sivan 5690 (1930), he began his visit to Massachusetts when he arrived at its capital, Boston, where he stayed until the 3rd of Tammuz.

On his way back, he stopped in the city of Worcester, where rabbis from the nearby city of Springfield came to greet him. From there, he traveled to New York.

The money collected was transferred to Russia for maintaining chadarim and yeshivas, as well as for supporting rabbis-temimim who were in their towns spreading Judaism. A special department was established for building mikvaot in the Soviet Union. The Rebbe Rayatz also organized prayer gatherings and declared public fast days several times for the Jews of Russia.

The Rebbe's secretaries, Rabbi Yechezkel Feigin and Rabbi Chaim Lieberman, were the ones who coordinated the activities for the Rebbe Rayatz in Poland. When he arrived in the United States, Rabbi Israel Jacobson coordinated the fundraising efforts.

In 5699 (1939), a few days after the outbreak of World War II, the Rebbe left Otwock and returned to Warsaw, where he was forced to flee from house to house due to German bombings. After the Nazis captured Warsaw, he stayed in the home of Rabbi Yechiel Tzvi Gurary. During that time, reports were published, based on rumors, that the Nazis had captured the Rebbe Rayatz and executed him. Of course, this was a mistake, and denial notices were immediately issued to the press announcing that "His Holy Honor the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita is safe and well."

Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the United States worked continuously in attempts to smuggle the Rebbe Rayatz out of Poland. They made contact with officials in the American government, who approached the head of German military intelligence, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, who worked toward smuggling out the Rebbe Rayatz. Despite the dangerous situation, the Rebbe Rayatz requested that twenty additional people, besides his family members, leave with him. On the 2nd of Tevet 5700 (1939) - the Rebbe Rayatz and his family were smuggled out of Poland, along with twenty people, via Berlin to Riga. After three days, on the 5th of Tevet, they arrived in Riga, and on the 24th of Adar 5700 (1940), they left Riga for Stockholm (Sweden).

On Monday, 8 Adar II 5700 (1940), after twelve days of sailing, the Rebbe Rayatz arrived on the ship "Drottningholm," together with his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneerson and his mother Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah Schneerson, at a port in the United States (on West 57th Street in New York, Pier 97). Since United States law at that time did not allow passengers who arrived after 4 PM to disembark, the passengers were forced to wait until the next morning to leave the ship.

On Tuesday, thousands of Chassidim came to greet the Rebbe Rayatz. When he exited the ship, the crowd loudly proclaimed "Shalom Aleichem," and some of the crowd even recited the "Shehecheyanu" blessing. Among those welcoming him were delegations from Jewish organizations in the United States, and even the mayor sent a representative to greet the Rebbe Rayatz. After a brief reception in the port hall, the Rebbe Rayatz went to the Greystone Hotel in Manhattan, where he stayed during his first period in the United States.

==== Founding of Tomchei Tmimim ====

Upon arriving at the hotel, another reception was held, this time in a more limited format. In the middle of it, the Rebbe Rayatz suddenly announced: "I have the pleasure to publicize the decision that was accepted at the special meeting of the select individuals of Anash, which took place a few hours ago, that in the 'Oneg Shabbat' synagogue, tomorrow with God's help, 'Yeshivat Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch' will open in America!" He did not stop at the announcement and asked for the help of those present: "I hope to Hashem that the great Rabbis, Torah institutions and supporters of Torah with fear of Heaven together with my beloved friends Anash, may Hashem be upon them, at the forefront, will come to my aid in continuing my work in spreading Torah and fear of Heaven and in community service."

==== 770 ====

On the 12th of Av 5700 (1940), the building at 770 Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights neighborhood was purchased to serve as the Rebbe's residence and synagogue. About a month later, on the 19th of Elul, the Rebbe Rayatz moved in to live in the building. On the 21st of Elul 5700, a house dedication ceremony was held.

The living room of the Rebbe Rayatz's apartment on the second floor of 770. In this place, the Rebbe held holiday meals, even after the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz.

==== Receiving Citizenship ====

On Thursday, the 16th of Adar 5709 (1949), a special delegation from the United States government arrived at the home of the Rebbe Rayatz to grant him American citizenship. This was preceded by the passage of a special law allowing citizenship to be granted to a person in their home, without them having to appear at government offices.

The delegation was received in the Rebbe Rayatz's room while he was dressed in silk garments and wearing a shtreimel. First, the Rebbe Rayatz delivered a short talk for the occasion, clarifying that Divine Providence had led him specifically here, because from this place, from the United States, it was fitting that the dissemination of Judaism and the spreading of Chassidic teachings should be conducted. After the talk, the Rebbe Rayatz signed the documents and expressed his allegiance to the country by raising his hand, and citizenship was granted. At the end, the Rebbe Rayatz bid farewell to the delegation members with a smile and a handshake. His son-in-law, the Rebbe, accompanied the meeting and helped as needed. The Rebbe also arranged for two of the highest quality photographers of those days to document the event from two angles, and even invited a color video photographer.

Shortly before his passing, the Previous Rebbe initiated a mission to Morocco, and even chose Rabbi Michael Lipsker to be the first emissary to Morocco, but this did not materialize and Rabbi Lipsker was not even informed about it. After the passing, the Rebbe sent Rabbi Michael Lipsker and later Rabbi Shlomo Matusof, Rabbi Shalom Edelman, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Raskin, and additional emissaries to Morocco to establish educational institutions under the Ohale Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch (Morocco) network, named after the Previous Rebbe.

==== School Network Named After the Previous Rebbe ====

In 5712 (1952), the Rebbe instructed Rabbi Zusha Wilmovsky to establish in Israel a network similar to what they had established in Morocco, called the Ohale Yosef Yitzchok network. Over the years, many institutions have been named after the Previous Rebbe.

== Works ==

The Rebbe Rayatz wrote extensively, documenting what he heard from his father, family members and elder chassidim, some as "Reshimos" and some as stories like "Sefer HaZichronos":

* [[Sefer HaMaamarim - Friediker Rebbe|Sefer HaMaamarim]]

* Sefer HaSichos

== Secretaries ==

* R' Alter Dober Chaskind

* R' Chaim Lieberman

* R' Elchonon Dov Morozov

* R' Yechezkel Feigin

* R' Eliyahu Kvint